Detective Conan Dystopia: The Night Baron Incident
by Skye Silverwing
Summary: A new and skilled rival appears for Kaito KID, and with Conan gone, can Shonen Tantei join together and bring the pair of thieves down? Sequal to Detective Conan Dystopia: Shonen Tantei vs Kaito KID. One-Shot.


Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or settings.

This story takes place during the time line of Detective Conan: Dystopia between Conan's departure and his return, and is the sequel to Shonen Tantei vs Kaito KID

THE NIGHT BARON STRIKES AGAIN: KAITO KID'S RIVAL BEATS HIM TO THE PUNCH AGAIN!

Kaito Kuroba crumpled the newspaper up and hurled it across the classroom.

Ever since that blasted book-based villain appeared several weeks ago, he had given the White-clad thief no end of trouble.

Kaito's last four declared thefts had been sniped by the masked copycat. He seemed to wait his white-clad "rival" to send one of his warning notices, then steal the target before Kid's declared time, returning it after it was too late.

The truly aggravating thing was that he did not know who it was.

The masked thief stole the gems with a level of efficiency and skill that rivaled Kaito's own, but seemed to lack the deliberate style and showmanship that Kaito had, stealing more to prevent KIDS thefts.

The thrown newspaper was caught by Saguru Hakuba, who could not help but mirror Kaito's irritation.

In spite of the Night Baron's obvious Motive, the mysterious masked thief consistently eluded him as completely as he had Kaito.

Aoko Nakamuri sighed. Her friends were acting just like her father since Night Baron's first appearance.

------------------------------

"What do you mean, the Star of Japan has been stolen?!" Inspector Nakamuri shouted into the phone in his office, "Kaito KID's notice said he would steal it in two days and he never steals early!"

On the other end of the line, John Sumisu, curator of the Museum of Osaka, sighed.

"It was not KID!" he said, "Our security camera got a good image of a man in a dark outfit with a mask covering his face, as to look like the character from Yusaku Kudo's book!"

Nakamuri rubbed his hand down his face.

"I see..." he said, "Well, I will look into it..."

He hung up the phone and dialed the operator.

"Hello? Yes, I need the number for Yusaku Kudo in America..."

---------------------------

Two weeks planning, two days worth of "unplanned renovations" and a large amount of preparation all went down the drain as KID realized that another target had been stolen from under him. First, the Star of Japan, and now the Amber Phoenix.

It was now clear to the roguish Bandit that he was not dealing with a random sneak thief that just happened to have his eye on the same prize. Rather, it was a determined saboteur, bound to steal his targets and discredit him. No worries, though, as this thief could not possibly outwit the Meitanteis on the case. Hakuba would catch the Night baron, and if not, that guy from Osaka would. KID only wished that that Kudo boy were still around. HE would have caught the Bastard by now.

--------------------------

Hakuba was tearing out his hair. Three warning notices from KID, three heists by the Baron, NO CLUES. None. Nothing so much as a single hair.

The security footage was all a joke, deliberate shots of the Baron to prove it was him, so staged that Hakuba half expected him to strike a dramatic pose. Other then that, there was never any indication of the Baron having been there. It was infuriating.

Then, there was the other thing. Heiji Hattori, that Osakan fool, was on the case as well, but for some reason, the punk refused to work with him to solve the case.

*Just as well,* Hakuba thought, *I am going to enjoy showing that fool up.*

-----------------------------------

Yusaku Kudo listened intently and gazed absently out over Central Park, as Inspector Nakamuri explained the fourth theft to him over the phone.

Again. No evidence. No clues. Just exactly what the Night Baron intended the police to find. The Mystery writer was impressed.

As the irate inspector got off the phone, the Yusaku heard a distinctive click of the other phone hanging up. A few moments later, the door to the Study opened, admitting his seemingly ten-year-old son, who had clearly been listening in.

Yusaku recognized the look on his son's face.

"You know who did it?" the Writer was genuinely surprised. After all, his son had never solved a case faster then him.

Conan nodded, a deep frown on his face.

"I just hope he knows what he is doing."

----------------------------

"Hey, guys! Look at this!" Ayumi crowed, holding up a new newspaper so Genta and Mitsuhiko could see, "It says that Kaito KID is going to try to steal the Crystal Sword, Callandor, from the Tokyo Museum, Tonight!"

Genta and Mitsuhiko grinned viciously.

"This time..." began Genta.

"...we'll catch KID AND the Night Baron!" Finished Mitsuhiko.

"OI!" they all crowed at once.

------------------------

Heiji Hattori stood atop a building looking down on the museum.  
The police were arrayed as expected, waiting for the arrival of Kaito KID and the Night Baron. Choppers in the air and an army of men on the ground. Nothing on the roof, though. It was almost as if they had forgotten about KID's hang glider.  
Heiji grinned. Tonight, one of the thieves would be unmasked. There would be a confrontation, and one would lose, and the police would be waiting to swoop in and catch whoever they could. It was unavoidable. KID's notice had left the Night Baron no time to slip in and steal the sword first as was his style. No, this time there would be a clash.  
In any case, the time on KID's notice was fast approaching, and steps had to be taken before them.  
Grimly setting himself, Heiji whipped the cape back and settled the mask on his face.  
The Night Baron had Arrived.

Kaito KID alighted on the Roof of the Museum to the sound of his screaming fans. He thought it odd that such an obvious entry point would not be covered.  
Then he saw the guards' unconscious and bound and sighed. It seemed his Rival had no showmanship at all, leaving these two out here in the middle of the roof.  
KID moved to check the guards, to ensure that they were not harmed, only to come to a startling discovery.  
Dummies. A trap.  
The White-clad Thief spun as he sensed danger, but was a moment too late as a Ball of Mass slammed into him, knocking him back onto the net and springing the trap.

Genta's tackle knocking Kid into position, Mitsuhiko and Ayumi pulled down on the Rope with all their strength. The net rose, catching KID inside it. They secured the net and went to see their catch.  
KID cursed his lack of attention that allowed him to be captured in this manner.  
"We got him!" Ayumi said with a large smile. "We captured Kaito KID!"  
Genta was happy that Makoto sensei had been teaching him to use his girth as a tool in combat, because he could not have pushed him back very well otherwise.  
The sound of slow measured clapping made the kids pause in their celebration as the Night Baron stepped around a nearby air-conditioning unit, the Crystal bladed target already in his hand. All three children immediately dropped into the combat stances that Makoto had taught them.  
"A wonderful show, a wonderful show indeed." Said the masked man, "But he will escape shortly...no... I take it back... he has already escaped."  
The kids whirled to find that KID had been replaced by a Dummy dressed like KID. He was nowhere to be seen. They suddenly felt a cold chill as they realized that they had turned their backs on the other thief.  
A single blow to the back of the head rendered Ayumi and Mitsuhiko unconscious. With speed uncharacteristic of his girth, Genta rolled forward, avoiding a similar disabling.  
The Boy faced his opponent, fully prepared to fight to protect his unconscious friends from the potentially dangerous criminal. Suddenly there was a flash and a cloud of gas. Genta cried out in surprise and then the gas overcame him, and he collapsed.

The Night Baron looked up at the KID dummy in the net.  
"Don't think I can't see you up there, KID. Though I must say, disguising your self as a Dummy was rather appropriate." He jeered, "I saw that gas bomb fall. so you cannot hide anymore." as he spoke, he approached the net, ultimately reaching up to take ahold of it to make sure he was right about the Dummy being KID.  
At that moment, there was a soft click and KID's Gun fired, sending a playing card to cut the rope, dropping the Net on the Masked Thief.  
KID grinned down at his fallen opponent.  
"Too bad, Hattori-Tantei," he said in a mocking tone, "You could have made a decent thief if not for the fact that you were only in it to catch me." he paused for a moment, considering, "though I must admit, being a Detective is an excellent way to eliminate evidence of your own crimes. I wonder what your father will think when he hears about it? Well, I suppose I will take my leave, and I will be relieving you of that." He took the sword and took to wing.

Ayumi awoke to the sound of KID's voice. As the White-clad thief left, she roused her friends and they removed the net from the downed Night Baron, and then removed his mask.  
Ayumi gasped.  
"That is Heiji Hattori!" she said in a confused voice. "How could he be the Night Baron? He was always a good guy!"  
Heiji stirred and opened his eyes, looking at the ten-year-old girl. "'Those who fight monsters must take care that they do not become monsters themselves'" He quoted, in spite of his wounds.  
The Kids looked at each other and huddled up. After a quick discussion, they nodded amongst themselves.  
Moments later, Inspector Nakamuri, Saguru Hakuba and a half dozen armed officers burst onto the roof.  
"Inspector!" Mitsuhiko approached them quickly, "We failed, and KID escaped with Callandor."  
The Inspector cursed.  
"What about the Night Baron?" He asked, "Did he escape as well?"  
Ayumi stepped forward then.  
"Yes and no, sir." she said, "It seems that the 'Night Baron' we came to believe was some sort of Rival for KID, was actually KID trying to take some of the attention off of himself."  
Nakamuri took a step toward Heiji. "Then who is that, over there?" he asked.  
Genta looked and said, "It is Heiji Hattori from Osaka. KID caught him and was using him as a decoy and we accidentally beat him up."  
"Can you get him a doctor?" Ayumi begged, her Puppy-Dog Eyes filling with tears, "It would be terrible if he died because we did not realize he was being used."  
Nakamuri nodded and motioned for a few men to help the injured Detective, and Hakuba frowned.  
As Hattori was being carried to the exit, he looked at the kids with a grateful smile.  
"I guess I owe you one." He said.


End file.
